An enhanced player pathway for juniors, new senior league structure and reduced cost of playing are among a range of club-friendly key actions of Football Federation Victoria's (FFV) changes to the structure of Men's and Boys' football announced today and set to come into effect for the 2020 Victorian football season.
The review recommended implementation of a streamlined Senior Men's competition and enhanced Youth competition model. The new structures will enhance FFV support provided to Victorian clubs and improve the football experience for participants around the State.
Victoria's premier competition for men's and boys' - National Premier Leagues Victoria - will be subject to a number of format changes and enhancements.
See the Recommendations Summary - click here
On launching the changes to the Victorian football community, FFV CEO Peter Filopoulos expressed his thanks to all stakeholders for their involvement in the review.
“The Men’s and Boys’ Football Competition Review is the most comprehensive project that our organisation has ever embarked upon," Mr Filopoulos said.
“Thousands of Victorians have contributed to this piece of work through a survey, workshops, face to face interviews and other club-initiated interaction.”
“It has produced a body of work that will position our organisation to lead the way for the sport in the nation over the coming years and better identify, nurture and improve the thousands of young players that play this game every weekend.”
FFV Executive Manager - Facilities & Advocacy Gary Cole, a former Socceroo, said the review had identified a need to get better at working with Local Government partners to deliver the game.
“We will work with our councils to ensure that a true partnership approach exists when we seek access to local facilities," Cole said.
"A key criteria of entry into our Junior NPL program from 2020 is the support of Local Government and this will ensure that Clubs, FFV and Local Government spend time together to plan the best outcomes for all stakeholders”
The new Junior Boys' competition model to begin in 2020 will address a number of key issues:
- The need to change the current NPL Model which had been operating for the last five years since inception of NPL in Victoria in 2014;
- This model was ‘closed’ to Victorian non NPL clubs in the initial years and has subsequently been opened to State League 1 Clubs who gained Promotion into NPL 2 commencing 2017.
- The review identified that 23% of all NPL Junior results ended with greater than five goal difference. The new model includes a stronger competition process for identifying the footballing level of each junior team and then provides a league structure where the ‘best teams’ play against the best teams and the ‘like teams’ play against teams with a similar footballing ability.
- The review identifies a significant increase in Player Movement between NPL Clubs since 2014 (nomadic players)
- The review identified that there is increasing inflationary pressures on Victorian junior players (Cost of Participation)
- The review identified that there are a significant number of clubs who have not met facility and other core NPL criteria requirements
FFV Board Director Sezar Jakupi said the changes will move football in the right direction.
“The consultation with Victorian football stakeholders has been unprecedented over the past 12 months and it was well understood that there was no ideal model which satisfied the desires of every football stakeholder.
"The new model is reviewable on an ongoing basis and all club’s adherence to the criteria will be presented openly to all football stakeholders."
For a thorough look at the See the Recommendations Summary - click here
FFV will announce details of a comprehensive Women's and Girls' football review in the near future.